Liz Doucet's 'The Best Hotel in Kabul' Chronicles InterContinental Hotel's History Through Staff Perspectives

Kabul's InterContinental Hotel, once a symbol of modernity during King Zahir Shah's reign, served as a glamorous hub for elites, government officials, merchants, diplomats and foreign spies amid the Cold War, according to Liz Doucet in her book 'The Best Hotel in Kabul.'

Doucet, a senior BBC World Service journalist, describes the hotel as a five-star oasis in rural, conservative Afghanistan, where men drank in lavish lounges, Western women swam in bikinis and guests enjoyed cuisine from top Afghan and European chefs. Kabul earned the moniker 'Paris of Central Asia' in elite circles, with the hotel featuring staff from Lebanon, Switzerland, Germany, Palestine, the Philippines and Britain.

Opened on September 9, 1969, by British firm Taylor Woodrow International, the hotel was funded by a 2.5 million pound loan from Britain, equivalent to 500 million afghanis at the time. Doucet notes that Zahir Shah aimed to position Afghanistan in the global progress caravan, but the country soon struggled with repayments, prompting negotiations with Britain. The UK ambassador in Kabul advised London against strict enforcement to maintain Afghanistan's alignment with the West.

The hotel's fortunes mirrored Afghanistan's: it joined the prestigious InterContinental chain but later became known as the 'world's worst hotel' to war reporters covering coups and regime changes. During factional wars, it lacked reliable water, heating or decent bread, with rooms serving as shelters from mujahideen rockets and floors repeatedly damaged and rebuilt.

Doucet recounts five decades of events through the lives of ordinary staff, contrasting Western media's focus on war, suicide bombings and the Taliban with everyday struggles, fears and aspirations. She details routines like that of housekeeper Hazrat, who starts his day with dawn prayers, green tea and fresh bread with local eggs and eggplant.